Aqua de Granatum

Aqua de Granatum, or Pomegranate lotion, is a recipe that goes back to the ancient Macedonians, who gave it to the Romans. Now you can have it too!

What you need

1 pomegranate 1/2 cup white vinegar 4 cups water

Instructions

It is said that Alexander the Greats legions brought this recipe back from Persia, where they had discovered that highborn Persian women used it as a beauty treatment and as a way to tighten the skin around their breasts and thighs.

This treatment became a fad during the reign of Pompey and again under Justinian , who banned using the fruit as a cosmetic because he considered it a pagan practice. Rumor has it that the use of pomegranate lotion still continues among high-ranking women in the Persian crescent even though its use has been suppressed in recent years.

Peel the pomegranate (keep the seeds for eating or for a salad). Dissolve the peel in a mixture of water and vinegar by boiling it in your microwave on high power for 4 minutes and simmering it on low/medium power for 10 to 15 minutes or until the peel is completely dissolved. Strain and store in a sterilized jar in the refrigerator.